To think this is pretty insensitive and short-sighed in the current climate

[catchafallingwife]

Background: I work in an industry where technically most of the work can be done remotely but there's a big premium placed on networking.

Understandably - and I don't blame them for this given where the guidance has been -- my company has flip-flopped a lot on its policy with respect to whether or not people are expected to work from the office. They've gone from being totally fine for all staff to work remotely to everyone needs to be in to hybrid is fine and various permutations of the above.

Recently, about a month ago, there were a series of large industry events which we were all on a three line whip to attend in person. Four people from the company contracted COVID during that two week period (so likely at least one of them at one of these events). One of these people was hospitalised, though is now doing OK. But three of the four were sick enough to be off work for at least 10 days.

The company has been encouraging people to come in as far as they can but has also maintained that ultimately the policy is that people should feel free to work from home if they feel unsafe coming in, and that was reiterated after these people fell it, although we were never officially told that people had COVID.

In my recent review I was encouraged to come in more than the 2 days a week I'm currently doing. I said I was happy to do this but with the proviso that I would prefer to avoid large gatherings for the foreseeable, at least until we know where things stand on Omicron. I was told this was fine.

I'm now off sick and called in sick for a client meeting today (which was attended by several other staff so no one was left in the lurch). I'm genuinely sick -- almost certainly not COVID as I've had a series of negative LFTs but high temperature, feel too rubbish to do much and very likely highly infectious. This is the first sick day I've had in two years.

I've just had an email from my boss saying he is "disappointed" that I couldn't "make the effort", despite what was discussed at my review and would expect more "presence" from me.

Is it just me or this astonishingly tone deaf?

You’re unwell so of course you can’t go in.

Book a PCR if you haven’t already. You can’t rule out covid with LFTs.

It's you not him.

@SSOYS

I have booked a PCR. But the point was really about being hassled to come in when I'm clearly ill and particularly when forced presenteeism has likely resulted in several people getting COVID.

Argh... I typed that the wrong way round! It's him who is being 'disappointing'.

Would it be worthwhile/appropriate for you to contact HR for clarification on working practices, not coming in with any sort of infection etc?

You may well still have covid. I felt rubbish for 4 days before getting a positive LFT.

I wouldn’t be checking my emails if I was sick but I realise that doesn’t work for everyone

Contact HR. That is unacceptable behaviour and as you say, in this current climate with people falling ill with covid as a result of being told to attend events, it's appallingly offensive! I'd reply and copy in HR (after requesting a meeting with them or asking for policies to back it up) and anyone higher up. Don’t let him get away with this!

Hope you feel better soon

Dear Boss,

To confirm, you don’t want me following the sickness policy when I am too unwell to work, and you would rather I attend work premises?

Thanks

@catchafallingwife

CC Union/HR

@ErrolTheDragon

The HR department changes its position on this on a more or less weekly basis. Officially the position remains that everyone is free to work from home if they are concerned about the risk to their health of working in the office and as long as the work can be done from there.

But the "mood music" is all that we should all be going out as much as possible.

I do totally understand that they need to gee people a bit and get people comfortable with the idea that they can't work from their bedrooms permanently.

But I think picking on someone who is genuinely ill to make an example of is a bit tacky.

@TeapotCollection It doesn't work like that at my gaff, unfortunately. People worked right through COVID etc.

Depending on your relationship with your boss I'd push back directly with a diplomatically worded email saying:
I feel your comments are unfair
I was literally too ill to work that day and this is just an unfortunate coincidence which could have happened to anyone at any time
As soon as I've recovered I propose to attend the office three days a week (or whatever) as discussed at my review

@PassingByAndThoughtIdDropIn

That sounds like a good approach. I think I need to put on record that it was unfair.

But I think picking on someone who is genuinely ill to make an example of is a bit tacky.

It's not 'tacky', it's stupid and should be unacceptable.

Perhaps your response should be along the lines of, 'I understand that we're aiming for more physical presence now. However, in this instance if the possibility of attending the meeting remotely hadn't existed, I would not have been able to participate at all as I'm simply not well enough to come in today.'

I'd have to respond to that email (tomorrow, or whenever you return to work though) pointing out how wrong your manager's comments were, and how unfair it is to receive an email like that when you are off sick.

I would expect an apology.

Sounds to me like news didn't reach him in time that you are actually ill - he was unaware, made to look a fool and is now venting that embarrassment on you. Perhaps? Either way, very upsetting for you and unfair

Does your boss actually realise you were too ill to go or do they think you chose not to go to a large gathering because of anxieties? I'm wondering if the message got through correctly, otherwise the response is outrageous.

This sort of behaviour from management is ridiculous. Maybe you should mention that you’ll be checking with HR on their illness/absence policy in your reply. If this attitude from him continues, you should consult your union if you’re in one. I really sympathise, covid was allowed to rip through my workplace and it was a horrid time.

@Gearedtoyou

Does your boss actually realise you were too ill to go or do they think you chose not to go to a large gathering because of anxieties? I'm wondering if the message got through correctly, otherwise the response is outrageous.

I sent an email last night saying I wasn't feeling great and leaving open the possibility that I might have to cancel today - got a one word response: "OK".

I confirmed at about 8.30am to my boss and separately emailed the client to apologise and say that x and y from my team would cover. Client responded politely that this was fine and they hoped I felt better soon. I'm still working (from home) doing all the work that the other people at the meeting are not doing.

It wasn't a large gathering, it was a meeting of about four people. If I hadn't felt unwell I'd have gone. It's possible that its been misinterpreted as reluctance to go to big gatherings - I don't know. But I've pretty clearly signalled that I'm unwell as opposed to just being anxious.

If he thinks you were well enough to be there, he's not understood how unwell you were. Write a polite email, but be clear that he has made an error and you are correcting his wrong assumption.

I think if you were well enough to work you should have been there.

If you are genuinely off sick then you are offsick.

I had this same dilemma today as I had an important meeting face to face and I've been so I'll all weekend. I might have called in sick or worked from home and limped along but the most important to thing was the meeting I went and survived and I've not achieved a fat lot of other things today,but I think I made the right call on it.

I think if you were well enough to work you should have been there

She has a fever. She needs a negative PCR test before going into work.

And people ‘limping along’ is how I ended up with bronchitis over half yet and me and my house with Norovirus plus chest infections for the last two fucking weeks as well.

I think the people who spread all this shit about knowingly should come look after the people they infect.

@whyohwhyohwhyohwhywhy

So you think I should have taken a highly infectious virus albeit probably not COVID to a client meeting?

I think that you should have called in sick if you were unable to work, which in this case was attending a meeting. Half way house is playing into your managers hands, he who thinks you don't attend the office enough. I'm giving my opinion on what I think is right, I am giving my view on what I think you should have done.

This is the issue with wfh. You are either well enough to work, in which case you need to attend the office when told. Or you are too ill to work and should have taken a sick day.

It's not just bad for the employer it's bad for the employee and will create a culture of wfh even if ill.

A friends dh is having an operation (hopefully) next week. He's told work he will be off at least a week, he's been told to wfh if not well enough to come in, he should be resting and recovering if necessary not wfh.

Did you ring in sick or just ring in to say unwell so will attend remotely?

If he is giving you grief for ringing in remotely, then the next time you feel this way, ring in sick properly, put your out of office on and leave them to it.